Meta’s announced some new updates for audio and video calling via Messenger and Facebook, just in time for your holiday catch-ups.
First off, Meta’s rolling out HD video calls, which will now be enabled by default for video calls made on WiFi.
As you can see in this example you’ll also have the option to switch on HD video calls using mobile data as well, providing improved video calling within its apps.
The crispness of HD could significantly improve your video calling experience, enhancing connection within your video chats.
And this will also help: Meta’s also rolling out background noise suppression and voice isolation to help you make clearer, higher-quality calls.
Meta’s also adding audio or video voice messages for when people don’t answer your call.
While iOS users will also be able to ask Siri to assist them in sending text messages.
As per Meta:
“When your hands are full or your phone is out of reach, you can now ask Siri to help you make your calls and messages wherever you are. Try something like: “Hey Siri, send a message to Cassandra on Messenger” and then dictate what that message will be.”
And Meta being Meta, it’s also obliged to include a generative AI element in any update.
“In September, we announced new ways to personalize Messenger chat themes with unique, AI-generated images from Meta AI. Soon, you’ll be able to use AI backgrounds in Messenger video calls to reflect how you’re feeling or just add a little excitement to your call.”
Yeah, I’m not a big fan of these AI-generated images, nor of Meta’s insistence in getting people to generate them in-stream. But this could provide a fun, custom option for your video calls, with generated images to accompany your video chats.
And a lot of people are using Meta’s video calling options to connect. Meta says that users spend over 7 billion cumulative minutes on calls across Facebook and Messenger every day.
Which seems like a lot, but given the ease of connectivity, and the reach of Meta’s apps, it makes sense that people are making use of these options.
These new updates, then, could be extremely valuable in helping to enhance connection over the holiday period.
You can read more about Meta’s latest calling updates here.
